London’s first Muslim mayor used a weekend Labor party conference to lash out at President Trump and liken him to the terror group ISIS.
Five major terror attacks have taken place in London this year, including a Sept. 15 bombing in the city’s underground train system, but that didn’t deter Sadiq Khan from likening Mr. Trump to ISIS on Sunday. Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner asked Mr. Khan why the U.S. president has a “problem” with him when the remarks were made.
“During the presidential campaign Donald Trump said — and I’m going to paraphrase because I’m not going to quote verbatim — is ’I’m going to ban Muslims from coming to the U.S.A., but I’ll make an exception for Sadiq Khan,” the mayor said. “Think about what you are saying, because what you are saying is not dissimilar to what Daesh or so-called ISIS say They say that there is a clash of civilizations, it is not possible to be a Muslim and a westerner, and the west hates us. And you are inadvertently playing their game. You are helping them in what they want to lead you all to believe.”
Mr. Trump was criticized during his campaign for calling on the U.S. to temporarily freeze immigration from Muslim nations with terrorist ties until vetting processes improved. His administration honed in on immigrants and refugees from the following countries after his election: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
“I think it’s wrong to give the impression that Islam and West are incompatible,” Mr. Khan added. “I’m a Westerner, I’m very proud to be a Westerner, but also a very proud Muslim. There are some people who want to divide our communities — I’m not going to let them.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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